1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for photographing an image in a user device, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for photographing an image in a user device that supports photographing of an image based on automatic focusing in which an image of a subject is photographed based on a focus that is automatically calculated from a distance to the subject, where the user device includes an image photographing apparatus that supports a touch-based input.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the recent development of digital technology, various types of mobile devices capable of performing communication and processing personal information have been made, including a mobile communication terminal, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an electronic organizer, a smartphone, or a tablet Personal Computer (PC). Through rapid technological development, mobile devices now include various functions ranging from an initial basic function such as a voice call and a short message transmission to a video call, an electrical organizer function, a video photographing function, an email function, an Internet function, and a Social Networking Service (SNS) function.
Specifically, camera modules have recently become common, allowing a user device equipped with a camera module to have a video photographing function. The user device displays a preview image of a subject transmitted by the camera module through a display unit and photographs an image shown on the preview image based on a user's photographing command to be stored. The user device then compresses an image signal captured by the camera module to be stored in a storage unit of the user device. The user device supporting a digital image photographing function is widely used due to its advantages in that photographing and editing an image is easy even for a user who is not an expert, compared to a camera using film, and a long-term storage and preservation of the image data is possible.
Moreover, an automatic focusing function, by which a distance from the subject is automatically calculated to perform automatic focusing to obtain a clear image of the subject when a photographing button is pressed, and a zoom function, by which a subject a far distance from the user device is photographed as if the subject is a short distance or a subject a short distance from the user device is photographed as if the subject is in a far distance from the user device, are additionally included in a photographing function of the user device, thereby improving user convenience.
In the user device, to photograph a subject, the user performs the photographing function by using the photographing button in the photographing mode. When performing the photographing function in the photographing mode, an additional photographing function of an automatic focusing function or a zoom function, as described above, is supported. In a conventional user device, when photographing an image using an additional photographing function, one time selection of the automatic focusing function or the zoom function based on a user's choice and one time photographing is performed. For example, when the automatic focusing function is operated in the photographing mode, the user focuses a specific part of the subject by a half shutter input of the photographing button and photographs the subject based on the focus.
Further, when the zoom function is operated in the photographing mode, the user sets a zoom-in or a zoom-out automatically or manually and photographs with a correspondingly set zoom.
Further, when a conventional, continuous photographing function is performed by the user, a continuous photographing is performed with one focus or one zoom level that is set one time, as described above.
Therefore, when the user wants to perform continuous photographing by changing the focus multiple times, a first focal point of the subject is first selected and the composition of the subject is changed based on a corresponding focal point to perform photographing, and a second focal point is selected and the composition of the subject is changed based on a corresponding point to perform photographing again. Moreover, when operating the zoom function, the zoom function must be set each time photographing is performed. Accordingly, in the continuous photographing mode of the user device, continuous photographing is supported only with respect to one focus or one zoom level, and the continuous photographing with respect to various focuses or various zoom points is possible only by repeated photographing and the user's repeated focus and zoom function setting.
Thus, in performing the continuous photographing based on various focuses or various zoom points with respect to one subject, a photographing time is longer and a task is repeated, thereby causing inconvenience to the user. Moreover, during the function setting described above in a photographing process, user may become dissatisfied when an initially intended user composition is changed or the subject is moved.